AphantasiaResearch
Explore a comprehensive collection of academic papers, research studies, and scientific publications about aphantasia, imagery, and cognitive neuroscience.
A decade of aphantasia research – and still going!
Aphantasia varies across multiple dimensions including voluntary versus involuntary imagery and associated cognitive differences. Research confirms introspection reliably distinguishes imagery extremes, supporting its validity in psychology.
Zeman, A. (2025). A decade of aphantasia research – and still going!. Neuropsychologia, 219, 109278. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2025.109278
Definition: Aphantasia
No abstract available.
Zeman, A., Monzel, M., Pearson, J., Scholz, C. O., & Simner, J. (2025). Definition: aphantasia. Cortex, 182, 212–213. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2024.07.019
Aphantasia and hyperphantasia: exploring imagery vividness extremes
Aphantasia and hyperphantasia represent extreme differences in mental imagery vividness, affecting about 1-3% of the population. These conditions have distinct behavioral and neural correlates, with aphantasia variably associated with reduced autobiographical memory and face recognition difficulties.
Zeman, A. (2024). Aphantasia and hyperphantasia: exploring imagery vividness extremes. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 28(5), 467–480. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2024.02.007
Plural Imagination: Diversity in Mind and Making
Research validates that mental imagery varies dramatically across individuals, from aphantasia (no imagery) to hyperphantasia (vivid imagery), with neural and behavioral evidence confirming these differences are genuine. Artists' creative practices correlate with their imagery vividness, using visual or alternative cognitive means accordingly.
MacKisack, M., Aldworth, S., Macpherson, F., Onians, J., Winlove, C., & Zeman, A. (2022). Plural imagination: diversity in mind and making. Art Journal, 81(3), 70–87. doi:10.1080/00043249.2022.2110444
Proposal for a consistent definition of aphantasia and hyperphantasia: A response to Lambert and Sibley (2022) and Simner and Dance (2022)
Researchers defend unified terminology (aphantasia/hyperphantasia) for mental imagery extremes across all sensory modalities. They argue this avoids confusing proliferation of terms while accommodating dissociations between individual senses.
Monzel, M., Mitchell, D., Macpherson, F., Pearson, J., & Zeman, A. (2022). Proposal for a consistent definition of aphantasia and hyperphantasia: a response to lambert and sibley (2022) and simner and dance (2022). Cortex, 152, 74–76. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2022.04.003
Aphantasia, dysikonesia, anauralia: call for a single term for the lack of mental imagery–Commentary on Dance et al. (2021) and Hinwar and Lambert (2021)
Researchers advocate adopting "aphantasia" as the single unified term for lacking mental imagery across all sensory modalities. The term is already widely used in research and public discourse, making standardization efficient for communication and literature searches.
Monzel, M., Mitchell, D., Macpherson, F., Pearson, J., & Zeman, A. (2022). Aphantasia, dysikonesia, anauralia: call for a single term for the lack of mental imagery–commentary on dance et al. (2021) and hinwar and lambert (2021). Cortex, 150, 149–152. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2022.02.002
Aphantasia: The science of visual imagery extremes
Aphantasia, the inability to visualize mentally, affects 1-4% of people and can be congenital or acquired. Research suggests it comprises multiple subtypes with distinct neural bases and impacts autobiographical memory more than visual working memory.
Keogh, R., Pearson, J., & Zeman, A. (n.d.). Aphantasia: the science of visual imagery extremes. Handbook of Clinical Neurology, 277–296. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-821377-3.00012-X
Behavioral and Neural Signatures of Visual Imagery Vividness Extremes: Aphantasia versus Hyperphantasia
This study compares aphantasia (no visual imagery) and hyperphantasia (vivid imagery), finding that imagery vividness correlates with autobiographical memory and imagination abilities. Brain imaging reveals structural and functional differences between these groups, validating visual imagery as a measurable dimension of individual difference.
Milton, F., Fulford, J., Dance, C., Gaddum, J., Heuerman-Williamson, B., Jones, K., Knight, K. F., MacKisack, M., Winlove, C., & Zeman, A. (2021). Behavioral and neural signatures of visual imagery vividness extremes: aphantasia versus hyperphantasia. Cerebral Cortex Communications, 2(2). doi:10.1093/texcom/tgab035
What is the relationship between Aphantasia, Synaesthesia and Autism?
People with aphantasia lack visual imagery yet can still experience synaesthesia and show autistic traits. This reveals that visual imagery isn't necessary for these neurodevelopmental conditions to occur.
Dance, C., Jaquiery, M., Eagleman, D., Porteous, D., Zeman, A., & Simner, J. (2021). What is the relationship between aphantasia, synaesthesia and autism?. Consciousness and Cognition, 89, 103087. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2021.103087
Phantasia–The psychological significance of lifelong visual imagery vividness extremes
This study examines aphantasia (absent visual imagery) and hyperphantasia (extremely vivid imagery) using questionnaires from 2,400 participants, finding aphantasia prevalence around 0.7% and hyperphantasia around 2.6%. Results reveal genetic influences and dissociations in dream imagery patterns across groups.
Zeman, A., Milton, F., Della Sala, S., Dewar, M., Frayling, T., Gaddum, J., Hattersley, A., Heuerman-Williamson, B., Jones, K., MacKisack, M., & Winlove, C. (2020). Phantasia–the psychological significance of lifelong visual imagery vividness extremes. Cortex, 130, 426–440. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2020.04.003
The neural correlates of visual imagery vividness – An fMRI study and literature review
This fMRI study investigates neural correlates of visual imagery vividness in healthy participants, inspired by patient MX who lost visualization ability. Results reveal brain regions showing increased activity correlated with stronger subjective imagery intensity.
Fulford, J., Milton, F., Salas, D., Smith, A., Simler, A., Winlove, C., & Zeman, A. (2018). The neural correlates of visual imagery vividness – an fmri study and literature review. Cortex, 105, 26–40. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2017.09.014
On Picturing a Candle: The Prehistory of Imagery Science
This paper examines the "imagery debate" in cognitive psychology, contrasting Kosslyn's analog model (mental images are picture-like) with Pylyshyn's propositional model (mental images are abstract). Recent machine learning neuroimaging findings support Kosslyn's analog theory by reconstructing visual content from brain activation patterns.
MacKisack, M., Aldworth, S., Macpherson, F., Onians, J., Winlove, C., & Zeman, A. (2016). On picturing a candle: the prehistory of imagery science. Frontiers in Psychology, 7. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00515
Reflections on aphantasia
Researchers studied 21 people with aphantasia, a condition where individuals lack voluntary visual imagery despite having dreams and involuntary imagery flashes. They argue aphantasia is primarily neurological rather than psychological, though psychological factors should be considered in assessment.
Zeman, A., Dewar, M., & Della Sala, S. (2016). Reflections on aphantasia. Cortex, 74, 336–337. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2015.08.015
Refusing to imagine? On the possibility of psychogenic aphantasia. A commentary on Zeman et al. (2015)
This commentary argues that some aphantasia cases may be psychogenic rather than neurological, stemming from anxiety, depression, and depersonalization. Historical cases suggest two categories of imagery loss patients: organic and functional.
de Vito, S., & Bartolomeo, P. (2016). Refusing to imagine? on the possibility of psychogenic aphantasia. a commentary on zeman et al. (2015). Cortex, 74, 334–335. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2015.06.013
Lives without imagery – Congenital aphantasia
Congenital aphantasia is a lifelong condition of absent or reduced voluntary visual imagery, identified in 21 individuals. Despite lacking imagery, these individuals showed compensatory strengths in verbal, mathematical, and logical domains.
Zeman, A., Dewar, M., & Della Sala, S. (2015). Lives without imagery – congenital aphantasia. Cortex, 73, 378–380. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2015.05.019
Loss of imagery phenomenology with intact visuo-spatial task performance: A case of ‘blind imagination’
Patient MX lost the ability to generate visual images but performed normally on visuo-spatial tasks, revealing a dissociation between imagery experience and task performance. This "blind imagination" challenges our understanding of visual imagery's neural basis.
Zeman, A. Z., Della Sala, S., Torrens, L. A., Gountouna, V.-E., McGonigle, D. J., & Logie, R. H. (2010). Loss of imagery phenomenology with intact visuo-spatial task performance: a case of ‘blind imagination’. Neuropsychologia, 48(1), 145–155. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.08.024
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